The Seven Stones

Cormyr has recently been at war with hordes of orcs that plundered the northern part of their nation. The orcs were led by the great red dragon which slew Azoun IV, king of Cormyr. Also, making this war terrible in cost were the gazneths, demonic embodiments of historical traitors to Cormyr. Princess Tanalasta found their key to victory against the gazneths before her death.

Alaina copies Mizziark’s bow, and holds her hands out, palms
outstretched as a gesture of peace. She keeps her eyes on the figures and mutters quietly, “What is this place?”

Mizziark actually looks at you, quite possibly for the first since you met the huge man. Where his eyes once looked past you, or through you, now they actually capture your vision in their deep gaze. You see eyes as brown as tilled earth caught in the caverns above his deeply-lined cheeks. “She is the child left us, Seeing Stone, and she is the child returned. My Mother tells me we are on ground most sacred to her, and her child knew to bring us not to your forest of stone, but to the bluetops. The spell thrower and the Steel Princess await us, My Mother says.”

Cameron’s eyes grow wide, and he does a double take, his eyes fixing from Mizziark to the shadowed couple and back. “You….can’t…..mean..” His voice grows soft. For once, you have seen him speechless. “By the Stones, Stone, you’ve the company of kings….”

Mizziark takes no notice of the bard’s remarks as he begins tramping toward the pair of figures obscured by the bluetop trees.

(Alaina raises an eyebrow) “I know many spell throwers but am unfamiliar with the ‘Steel Princess.’ (she starts off after
the half-ogre, throwing Cameron an impatient glance and pausing for him to follow) “I get what the ‘forest of stone’ is, but what are the blue tops? To be blunt- where are we and who are we going to see?” (her face has a concerned look on it) “

DAN: Kindly make a knowledge check, as well as a wilderness lore (or whatever passes for it in 3.5) check.

Upon receiving instructions to investigate blind cultists in Suzail, as well as rumor of trouble involving the Thayan wizard Yearing, Alaina sets forth with all speed on the road to Cormyr’s capital city. The caravan stop of Blustich has her meeting with the bard Cameron Gergein and the lute he carries that affords him no stretching of the truth in his songs, even if one of those he currently works has undertones to the Seven Stones success against Matthias the Possessor. Cameron brings Alaina to meet with the man-mountain Mizziark, whose affinity with the Earth Mother, Chauntea, grants him stewardship of both Alaina and the bard. Atop the wide back of the massive pegasus Aunethea, the trio gains the skies above southern Cormyr, eventually coming to rest a few miles west of Suzail proper…..

Aunethea alights upon the expansive meadow, her wide wings folding in upon her flanks while you slip to the ground and offer overt thanks to a safe trip. The southern Cormyran winter bites at your skin and bones still, moreso after your passage amongst the frigid clouds above her rolling pastures. The Pegasus waits patiently as Cameron, his wide brimmed hat the worse the wear for the wind-whipped journey, and the towering Mizziark take leave of her shoulders. The winged horse moves to graze upon a copse of apple trees to the north.

About you the meadow is silent in the early morning, an expanse of calm in this war-torn nation. This far south, the feet of war nary lend their tramping intrusions, and you wonder not at all at the apathy that could possibly overtake those not thrown heart and soul to the Dragon Nation.

Mizziark bellows a greeting to this new earth, his tone and tears suggesting he has never set foot upon lands so far from his own. Even through his palsied slurs, you can feel the baritone sincerity in his rumblings.

As his self-sermonizing concludes, however, you at last notice the pair of figures that stand off to the east forty or fifty yards away. Caught by the shadows of the morning vault of sunshine, the cluster of bluetops that they stand among are singular in their mystery. Nowhere near would such trees be found. Mizziark seems in awe of their size and color.

The pair of figures obviously notice you, and Mizziark says in his slurred fashion, “The child left us, and the child returned.” and then bows his head in solemn reverence. Cameron, at the half-ogre’s side and hidden to you by his bulk, merely doffs his hat and closes his eyes.